Embedding graduate attributes into the

curriculum

Rhona SharpeOxford Brookes University@rjsharpe

Leading lives of

consequence

Rhona SharpeOxford Brookes University@rjsharpe

“There is more to life than simply doing a job. The graduates of our higher education system will be more than employees/employers, they will also be future leaders in our world and our neighbours and so affects our lives at all levels. What do we want these people to be like?”

(Haigh & Clifford, 2010)

PESE projects

Why graduate attributes?“Every undergraduate programme will include the development of the five graduate attributes” (SESE)

• Graduate Attributes Roadshows

Awareness raising

• Graduate Attributes in Action website

• Case studies• Mapping tools• Screencasts

Programme mapping

• Programme specification

• Mapping document

• Narrative

Documentation

What do we know about how lecturers design courses?

• Pragmatically, in response to changing circumstances e.g. increasing class sizes (Sharpe & Oliver, 2007).

• A social practice, governed by precedent and habit (Blackmore & Kandiko, 2012)

• Within the constraints of practicalities e.g. timetabling (Masterman, 2013)

• Visually (Masterman, 2013)• Informed by general design principles

rather than learning theory (Sharpe & Oliver, 2013)

Principles of CDIs

Working in extended teams

Visualising the learner journey

Challenging designs through peer review

The GAs mapping exercise

GAs development is:• progressive• integrative• contextualised

Reaching all programme teams

The disciplinary differences between how graduate attributes are expressed are in explaining the ways and contexts in which elements of the attributes are put to use, e.g. for critical self-awareness• Undertake systematic critical self-reflection,

within the planning, teaching and assessment cycle (Primary Teacher Education)

• An ability to critically evaluate performance practice (their own and the work of others) (Drama)

Evaluation Part 1Staff Engagement

Teaching Practices Collection

Teaching Practices Collection

25 examples for academic literacy24 critical self-awareness and personal literacy20 research literacy11 digital literacy8 global citizenship

Evaluation Part 2Student Engagement

Postgraduate Taught Evaluation Survey asked to what extent has the programme developed each of the GAs?

86% for research literacy84% for academic literacy81% for critical self-awareness and personal literacy71% for digital and information literacy71% for global citizenship

Evaluation Part 2Student Engagement

• How much has your coursework emphasised the following mental activities?

• How often have you done each of the following?• How much has your experience at this institution

contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in these areas?

Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

Brookes Survey of Student Engagement

What have we learnt?

“The teams felt that working on the graduate attributes project had been instrumental in helping to think about programme content in terms of what it offered to future employers.”

Periodic Review report for Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, 2012/13

“The teams felt that working on the graduate attributes project had been instrumental in helping to think about programme content in terms of what it offered to future employers.”

Periodic Review report for Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, 2012/13

“A challenging, relevant and internationalised curriculum”

• Strategy for Enhancing the Student Experience defined 5 Graduate Attributes2010/11

• Mapping exercise in programme teams• Programme Specification documents revised2011/12• Mapping extended to collaborative provisin• Analysis of all new documentation• Teaching Practices Collection

2012/13• Development of GA engagement scale• Training for Validation and Review Panels• New training for Academic Advisors

2013/14

• Benefits Realisation Review• Revised Strategy for Student Experience 2014/15

Enablers

• Embedding within the curriculum encourages discipline specific contextualisation

• Integration with QA documentation and processes

• Multiple initiatives running over several years

• Focus on programme teams as the key decision makers

• CDI process seems to be transferable to other initiatives and institutions

• A careful, critical approach to evaluation which produces useable outputs

References and resources• Graduate Attributes in Action website. https

://wiki.brookes.ac.uk/display/GAA/Home • Brookes Teaching Practices Collectionhttp

://teachingpractices.openbrookes.net/ • Graduate Attributes Interim Project Evaluation report https

://wiki.brookes.ac.uk/display/GAA/GAs+in+the+disciplines • Blackmore, P. & Kandiko, C. (2012) Strategic Curriculum Change in

Universities: Global Trends. Routledge. • Beetham, H. & Sharpe, (2013) Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age. 2nd

Edition. Routledge. • Haigh, M. & Clifford, V. (2010) Widening the Graduate Attribute debate: a

higher education for global citizenship. Brookes eJournal of Learning and Teaching. 2 (5)

• Sharpe R., O’Donovan, B. & Pavlakou, M. (2014) Using the framework of engagement surveys to evaluate institutional student enhancement initiatives, Surveys for Enhancement Conference, Birmingham, 4 June 2014.